


Saving Malcolm X

by heavenseed



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Desus - Freeform, Established Relationship, Gay!Daryl, Gore, Jesus deserves better, M/M, OC Character Death, Violence, Zombie Apocalypse, baby walker, baby zombie, gay sex mentioned, jesus saves, paul rovia deserves better, twd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-12 22:15:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16004399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavenseed/pseuds/heavenseed
Summary: Paul Rovia and Daryl Dixon have settled into a comfortable relationship with their dog Lucy.  What should be a quick and uneventful run finds them bringing something unexpected home to Hilltop.





	1. Feeling Minnesota

After all the awful things Paul Jesus Rovia and Daryl Dixon had seen since the start of the apocalypse, what they witnessed on a run together to find a first birthday gift for Herschel, that was the absolute worst.

They left Hilltop on a bright morning, while the sun was just starting to burn off the early morning fog. Late autumn had them both wearing an extra layer, and they had been able to see their breath on the air for weeks. Their vehicle of choice was a large van that Aldon had named the Mystery Machine. It was complete with a mattress in the back, and plenty of room for scavenged goods. Paul and Daryl had made it theirs with a converted engine that ran on vegetable oil, and possessed an envy-worthy sound system. It drew walkers away and had entertainment available for long trips. For them, it was a home away from home. 

They packed what little they needed into it, including Daryl’s crossbow and one automatic rifle, food, and at Daryl’s whistle, the dog that had wondered into Hilltop and latched on to the pair. Lucy was a Blue Heeler with one floppy ear. She followed the men around devotedly.

“Ready babe?” Paul put the van in gear as Lucy jumped in through Daryl’s open door. 

Daryl smiled as Lucy settled between them, closing his door. “Let’s go.”

They drove for several hours in companionable silence, Paul slipping a CD into the player and giving Lucy an affectionate head rub. Daryl had their map spread out on the dash and would give Paul directions as necessary. They had been to this warehouse store before, and the overstock was still yet to be looted. 

When they stopped for a late lunch, Lucy jumped out of the van the minute Paul opened his door.

“Don’t go far, Lou!” Daryl called after her. 

Paul rummaged through the back and brought out two large pieces of bread and a hunk cheese. “Finding that cheese place. Damn, that was a good score.” Paul bit into the cheese and handed Daryl his share.

“Who knew you were such a slut for aged cheddar.” 

Paul nearly choked as he laughed around the food in his mouth. Daryl just smiled, content. They leaned against the front bumper of the van as they ate, shoulders touching. 

“I think we should head to the little village on the turn off before the warehouse, get some sleep and hit it in the morning.” Daryl took a swig of water before passing the bottle to Paul.

“Cool.” Paul took the water, drinking greedily. “Gonna take a quick trip to the little boys room.” He squeezed Daryl’s shoulder before disappearing around the van. Daryl rolled his eyes, but tossed the water into the van and went to do the same on the other side of the road. He whistled for Lucy, who bounded right back into the open van door. 

Daryl took the driver’s seat, changing the CD as he waited for Paul. Lucy sat up and wagged her tail as Paul got in, and he couldn’t help but give her ear scratches, letting her lick him affectionately. 

“Alright, lovebirds, buckle up.” Daryl grumbled. Paul and Lucy ignored him, knowing he loved watching them together. “Who’s my best girl, Lou?” Paul cooed.

Their relationship had been a long time coming. After the war, Daryl never really left Hilltop, and they continued to share a trailer. They often went on runs together, and before they realized what was happening, they were regularly sharing a bed. Daryl was the first one to acknowledge he had feelings for Paul; Paul took a lot longer to let down his defenses, but Daryl was persistent and patient. Domesticity, easy trust, and amazing sex looked good on them. Lucy wandered into Hilltop, watched Daryl butcher a rather large boar without trying to steal a bite, and found a warm spot on their couch. She had clearly been someone’s farm dog. She was quick on her feet, was obedient, and observant. Being as she now belonged to a ninja, they named her Lucy Lui. 

Several more hours found them just a few miles from their destination, parked between two buildings. They scavenged a few surrounding buildings before calling it a night, having venison stew and fresh bread for dinner. Lucy even got her share, then made her bed on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Her boys locked up the van tight and settled in, woolen blankets and reading lights turning the Mystery Machine into a cozy Hobbit hole. They slept wrapped around each other, warmth radiating between them.

Paul’s watch alarmed just after 6am. For a moment he thought he was alone, Daryl completely buried in blankets. If it weren’t for the hunter’s usual early morning grumbles and large hands attempting to pull Paul back down into the blankets with him, Paul might have panicked. 

Daryl pulled his partner close to himself, pressing his sleepy face into Paul’s hair. Paul let himself be lured back into the warmth of their bed, entwining his fingers with Daryl’s. “We should get going, babe. If we want to be back tomorrow, we need an early start.” Lucy’s head popped up, tongue lolling, happy to see her boys awake.

“Few minutes. Just need to hold you.” Lucy whined from her bed. Paul turned to run his fingers through Daryl’s tousled hair. “Mmmh.” Daryl hummed happily into the kiss Paul offered him, rolling his hips into his lover’s.

“Too cold to fuck, babe.” Paul kissed him again and pulled himself off the bed. Lucy whined again, wagging her tail. “But Lucy can keep you warm, can’t you Lou?” Daryl tucked himself back into the blankets as Paul invited Lucy to share the bed. Paul chuckled fondly as Daryl pretended to be mad and Lucy tried to find her way into the blankets, tail a blur. 

Paul opened the door to the van after checking out the window and in the side mirrors for any threats. Giving his partner a reprieve from their excited dog, he called, “Lucy, let’s go potty!”

“Shut the door! Feels like we done drove to Minnesota, for fucks sake!”

Paul just laughed and followed Lucy out into the cold. He knew the other man would be fully dressed and making instant coffee by the time they got back. He chose a spot behind the nearest dumpster to do his business, watching Lucy trot down the alley. He was done quickly, and gave Lucy a few more moments. He pulled out the map from the passenger side door, smiling at his surly partner, who glared at him from the back of the van.

He whistled for Lucy, a high pitched tone, because the higher the pitch, the harder it was to locate. “Lucy!” he called, when he didn’t hear the familiar click of her nails on the asphalt. “Damned dog.” He grumbled. He finally moved to follow where he had seen her go down the alley. “Lou!”

Paul found Lucy just around the building at the entrance to the alley, tail tucked between her legs. Her head was down, eyes apologetic. “What’s wrong girl?” Paul didn’t see a single walker. 

A blood curdling scream pierced the early morning air; Lucy whined and Paul instinctively unsheathed his knife.

Daryl was beside Paul in a flash, clean shirt half buttoned. “What the hell was that?”


	2. The Apartment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They find the source of the blood-curdling screams.

Lucy led her boys into the building across the street from their van, tail tucked between her legs. They continued to hear screams, though none as bone-chilling as the first. 

“No walkers just yet, but if that screaming keeps goin....” Daryl observed quietly, crossbow at the ready.

Paul just nodded, his best knife in his hand.

They entered the building, as Lucy cried, clicking on flashlights as the door closed behind them. Even as the sun rose, the foyer of the building permitted little light, permanently bathed in milky darkness.

The men jolted and Lucy cowered upon hearing another pained cry. Paul shone his light up the stairs, where it disappeared into the yawning darkness. They silently agreed the sound came from above.

“Lucy, c’mon girl, you’re on point.”

Lucy whined, but led the way. Other than the creak of dried wood under their footfalls, the hallway was silent. Paul’s light caught footprints in the dust- Daryl and Lucy’s.

“No ones been up here in awhile.”

Daryl hummed in agreement. “Means no ones left here either.”

On the landing, Lucy stopped and looked back at her masters, the long-decayed remains of a human being lay in a heap blocking the next flight of stairs. They were at a crossroads. A short hallway went left, an apartment straight in front of them and then the next set of stairs to the right. At the end of the hallway, a textured glass window glowed with morning light.

“Which way, Lou?” Daryl said softly. The dog gingerly stepped over the corpse and began up the next flight of stairs.

The next landing was much the same, but the corpse on this floor was reanimated, shuffling at the end of the hallway. Daryl dispatched it from the top stair, before it even had time to turn around. Here, Lucy pawed gently at the door in front of them. Under their breathing, they could hear the sound of a woman crying.

“Dear God! Somebody help me!” The voice cut off in a choking cry. The door was thick, and the screams had been coming fewer and farther between. Paul and Daryl looked at one another; somehow, screaming people were hundreds of times scarier than the dead. 

“A woman?” Paul whispered. “Hear anyone else?”

Daryl cocked his head, trying to listen. He shook his head, soft sobs the only thing they could hear, until Lucy whined, long and low. She lay down next to the door- challenging the men, in her way.

“Do we knock?” Paul shined his flashlight up the next flight of stairs.

With a shrug, Daryl knocked, as if he were a salesman at the door. The noise was like a gunshot in the silent stillness of the landing.

“Please, please help me!” Paul frantically reached past Daryl and tried the handle. The door didn’t budge. The two men stepped back, eyes meeting. Lucy watched them, skirting away from the door as they changed their stance. Without speaking, they counted, one... two... three... Both kicked the door with force, and the wood splintered. “Please!” Again, they kicked the door and the deadbolt gave way, the door snapping open with a sickening crack. 

Even though the woman was pleading, they made their way inside cautiously. Lucy followed, tail still tucked, head low. They could hear pained panting from a far room, followed by deep grunts of pain. “You bit?” Daryl called out. He slowly rounded the short entryway into a kitchen, where a table and chairs sat unused. The living room was littered with evidence of someone having holed up for a long period of time, but was deserted. 

“No. Not bit... but I- please!” 

Daryl was opening doors as they went down the long interior hallway, finding a sparsely furnished office, a closet-

Another pained cry shot through the air, and a different noise rose up. The sound of a baby crying.

Daryl and Paul bolted to the farthest room, without checking other doors, tripping over each other in their panic. 

Had they known what awaited them in that bedroom....

A small black woman lay on her bed, her skin nearly grey. Fresh blood soaked the mattress, and the air was thick with the coppery scent. The woman was skeletally thin, though her abdomen swollen from pregnancy. She lay panting, holding a tiny quivering bundle in one arm, the other struggling to pull another infant up her belly with one hand. Her body appeared ripped open from the birth.

“Oh thank God.” Daryl and Paul just stared, completely frozen by the horrific scene in front of them. The naked infant began to cry in earnest and the men sprung into action.

“I’m Paul- this is Daryl. We... we’re here to help. We won’t hurt you.” Paul offered the woman his bottle of water, as Daryl moved to take the bundle from the woman’s arms. Paul helped her raise her head, and pulled the nearest blanket over her nakedness. Daryl reached over to adjust the blanket, the baby in his arms grunting and squirming. 

“It looks like the umbilical cord is too short. I’m going to cut it, OK?” Paul put a reassuring palm on the woman’s bony shoulder. 

In Daryl’s arms, the older infant began waving it’s arms out of it’s swaddle. He began to rock the baby, to comfort it. Even in the room’s half-light, he could see the infant’s cloudy eyes and grey skin, sluggish black blood in its veins standing out in stark contrast, as it blindly scrabbled in Daryl’s arms. 

Paul cut the umbilical cord with his knife, taking the other newborn into his arms. It was a boy, crying lustily in his arms. He grabbed a blanket from a pile of what appeared to be clean receiving blankets on the floor and wrapped the baby up as best he could. 

“Malcolm?” The woman groaned from the bed, reaching out weakly. 

Paul helped her sit up a little, and placed the infant in her arms. “Is that his name?”

Impossibly, tears slid down the woman’s face as she let the baby grasp her thin finger.

“Paul?” Daryl rasped. His chest was feeling tight, and his breath was coming faster. Paul was watching the woman and her baby. “Paul.” Daryl’s voice was pained.

Paul stepped over to his partner, peering inside the blanket. He braced himself on Daryl’s broad shoulders when he saw it. The baby was dead. He had turned. The otherwise perfect little infant, a mirror image of his brother, was a Walker. Paul looked up into Daryl’s pained eyes, a silent conversation moving between them. 

“He’s dead.” Came the small, sad voice on the bed. “I didn’t have time to put him down.”

“I’m sorry.” The hunter’s voice was a whisper. 

Paul took the stillborn from Daryl’s trembling hands. “Can I?” Paul was serenity and grace embodied, as he held the infant close. The woman nodded her consent. The blade he used to cut the other infant’s umbilical cord entered the stillborn’s temple, and as it died in his arms, Paul placed a sweet kiss to his forehead. Next to him, Daryl rocked, anxiety throwing him back and forth like a ship at sea. 

Paul placed the infant into his mother’s arms as she cried softly. Paul turned back to take Daryl into his arms. They held each other, both trembling with waning shock and adrenaline. Paul noticed Lucy’s sheepish head peering around the doorframe. Releasing his hold on Daryl, he kneeled and called Lucy over. 

“It’s OK, Lou. You were a very good girl.”

“Oh no.” The weight of the words from Daryl’s mouth had Paul spinning around. 

“Shit.” Paul mumbled. The woman’s eyes were half closed, body slack... dead.


End file.
